Valletta’s best effort not enough to stop Stompers

Stompers 57
Valletta 3

Despite the comprehensive drubbing, Valletta continued to show improvement and should not be downhearted.

For this Cisk League match, Valletta lacked their two best attackers, Pavanello and Borg, and had several players deployed in new positions. Brincat looked very promising at scrum half and then fly-half.

However, they were no real match for the rampant Stompers’ running style of play on the dry, hard ground.

The first try came when a Valletta player was off the pitch and Attard scored the first of his 27 points on the day. In some ways, Valletta have a better structure shape to deal with the attacks, but in this game they left huge gaps around the scrums, which Stompers exploited consistently to launch attack after attack and draw the cover.

A series of sweeping passing moves by Stompers culminated in a huge dummy and run over by Brookes. Another try by Attard followed.

Valletta hit back with a well-taken penalty by Psaila after Vella dropped the kick-off and a team-mate picked up from offside.

Next try was scored by Billson after the number 8 broke off the back of the scrum and created another gap.

Valletta then enjoyed a long period of attacking in the Stompers’ half, but despite coming close, the passing of the makeshift back line was too slow and too easy to anticipate, so the Stompers defence kept them at bay.

Strangely, many of the big strong Valletta forwards are easy to stop by determined low tackling because their body posture is too upright. If they start to lean in and drop their shoulder they would be much harder to stop. Some good specific coaching is needed in my opinion.

At half-time the score was 33-3.

The second half began as before, with Valletta gaining territory and then Stompers scoring two quick tries with sweeping runs, offloads and their trademark passing.

Sullivan and Galea came on for Stompers and both immediately injected more oomph into the running attacks.

Valletta camped close to the line for a lengthy period but were too disorganised to make the final penetration.

Brookes, of Stompers, was running wild with dummies and swerves and Valletta were missing their tackles.

Though full of courage, they hesitate because of lack of confidence – a defender should impose his determination on the attacking player, not allow him to feel confident.

As Valletta’s confidence waned, Stompers felt happy to launch a continuing series of rhythmic attacks, through a hesitant Valletta defence.

For Stompers, Attard scored 27 points, Alexander 10, Brookes 10, Delia and Willis five each.

Stompers cannot win the Cisk League now and so they can concentrate fully on the Med. Bank Cup final against Overseas.

The league will be settled between leaders Kavallieri and Overseas, as the ground hardens to suit fast running play.